Warren mayor irate over violence at Lincoln High School

Warren Mayor James Fouts on Thursday lashed out at the superintendent of Van Dyke Public Schools, saying he was “in denial” about violence at Lincoln High School after a police officer was injured when he was assaulted while responding to a fight inside of the school.

In a letter to Superintendent Joe Pius, the mayor said discipline in the 900-student high school is lax and directed Police Commissioner Jere Green to meet with school officials to “evaluate” their relationship with the police department and provide more security assistance to the liaison police officer assigned to the high school.

“I can only conclude that you are in denial about the violence that exists in Lincoln High School,” the mayor said in his letter.

Asked for a response, Pius provided a statement that indicated the incident the officer was involved in was an isolated one that involved a relative of a student. He said he was reluctant to get involved in a public dispute with the mayor, but said Fouts was making erroneous charges about the district.

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“The only action that cannot and should not be tolerated is the mayor’s unprofessional and unwarranted attack on Van Dyke Public Schools,” Pius said in the statement.

According to a police report on the Oct. 19 incident, Officer Thomas Gurecki, the liaison officer, was called in at 9:45 a.m. after school officials broke up a fight between two students inside the school on Federal, near Nine Mile and Van Dyke.

One of the students was taken to the main office where he ignored repeated orders by school personnel to stop using his cell phone. He apparently was calling his older brother, who showed up at the school a few minutes later, and was allowed inside.

At one point, the other student involved in the scuffle walked by in the lobby and the two siblings attempted to get at him, only to be restrained by a vice principal and a graduation coach, The siblings allegedly assaulted both school officials, according to the report.

When Gurecki arrived, he saw the older sibling arguing with school officials. The older sibling then turned and confronted Gurecki, saying he was “going to show us how it goes down,” Gurecki said in his report.

Gurecki tried to calm the older sibling down, but he was struck in the face. Gurecki grabbed the man and eventually wrestled him to the ground. The report states Gurecki suffered an injury to his ankle, and cuts to his eyelid and chest.

While that was going on, the younger sibling said: “You aren’t going to put your hands on my brother” and went after Gurecki. He was stopped by another school official, who suffered an injury to his leg during the struggle. Both siblings were charged with aggravated assault and disorderly conduct.

Fouts said he and police commanders previously met with school leaders in 2011 about the need to increase security measures as the high school has one security officer, a female.

Fouts, a former high school government teacher, said police are routinely called to Lincoln to respond to problems much more than other districts in Warren. He said school administrators need to step up disciplinary and security measures in order to keep the peace at Lincoln.

“I’ve told them before that they have a serious problem because that school is out of control.” Fouts said. “We’re doing everything we can to keep a lid on things, but I can’t idly stand by and let our officers get assaulted in trying to restore peace when the school is not doing its share.”

Pius denied the accusation, saying students do listen to the female security officer, and said visitors to the school must be buzzed in through the front office. In this case, it was a relative of a student who started the commotion with the officer, he added.

“The mayor’s perception of Lincoln High School is that of a violent setting for students to attend,” he said in a statement. “This couldn’t be more far from the truth. The administration and staff of the high school works tirelessly establishing a positive climate for our students and an academic setting that meets their needs.”

Pius stressed he knows things aren’t perfect and there are a couple of “bad apples,” but does not feel he needs to hire “two big burly bouncers” that the mayor suggested he bring on board. Van Dyke schools pays $75,000 for the liaison officer to work in the district.

Earlier this month, police commanders said they are assigning additional manpower outside of the high school when school is dismissed in the afternoon to respond to complaints from residents of students loitering on corners, impeding traffic and being disruptive.

The department is establishing a highly visible police presence as officers write tickets for disorderly conduct, trespassing, reckless driving and other violations outside or near the school to curtail the problems, according to police officials.